Main navigation

Mum’s persian cookies: cinnamon almond date cookies and a giveaway

I will keep this post short and sweet because I have been really sick for the past couple of days. Having a flu and a sick kid and another with final exams is no fun but having these wonderful spicy cookies around for a quick snack when you don’t have the energy to make anything sure helps.

The name actually has a story. Mum made these cookies years ago for guests they were entertaining. At the time there was a persian exhibition in town. One of the guests took one bite of the cookies and said: “don’t you just love the desserts they sell in persian exhibitions, they are so spicy and chewy.” Mum and dad shared a look and started laughing and explained to the lady that these were home-made. The lady demanded the recipe as proof, knowing how mum makes her recipes (my mum doesn’t measure, she cooks and bakes by feeling so she can never give you an exact recipe because she doesn’t make any recipe exactly the same twice)she didn’t quite believe them but still everyone had a good laugh and the name stuck.

If you’re a fan of cinnamon like yours truly, you will love these cookies. The combination of almonds, cinnamon and dates is hard to beat. I like these particular cookies soft and chewy but if you like your cookies more on the crisp side check the notes after the recipe

In the food process beat butter and sugar for 1 minute or until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping down the sides. The dough will be soft and really sticky almost like a very think cake batter, resist the temptation to add flour

Fold in the nuts and dates.

Roll small pieces of dough between your hands

Arrange on baking sheet

press on almond on top of each cookie flattening it a little

Bake in a preheated 180 C (375 F) oven on the lowest rack till the bottoms are golden brown

place under the broiler for a couple of minutes till the tops are golden brown.

Notes

If you like your cookies more on the crisp side use 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda instead of 1/4 and after you have finished baking place the cookies in the warm oven, turn it off and leave the cookies there until the oven cools down completely.

Store these cookies in an airtight container and they will last for a month

Now let’s get to the giveaway

Sneakpeeq is a site for online shopping, with short sales, great deals, and new stores daily.Their products include Housewares, Apparel, Accessories, Gourmet food, Beverages, and more.

Sneakpeeq is giving EACH AND EVERYONE 20% off your next purchase just for entering,

plus a chance at the Grand Prize:

Two winners will be picked to receive a $25 sneakpeeq gift card to use on your favorite food, style and home products.

Five runners-up prize winners will receive a $10 gift card—that goes a long way in sneakpeeq’s amazingly low-priced boutiques!

I am so sorry you have been sick AND have a sick child AND have one in finals. You poor thing. I wish I could make you some soup and stop by. These cookies look like just my thing and I feel so lucky to have one of your family recipes. Take care!

Thank you Greg,the link was meant to explain that mum never measures so the recipe would have sounded something like you take the flour,sprinkle some powdered milk, enough cinnamon to get the right color add enough butter till the batter holds together
You get the picture

Lovely story about your mom’s cookies. My mom is the same – she doesn’t measure and it was so frustrating that she didn’t leave any recipe. Now we live in two diff countries it’s so hard to take over te recipes. Ive heard about your mom a couple of times and sounds like you two are wonderful homecooks. I love cinnamons and these cookies sounds delicious! Sawsan, I hope you will get better 100% soon. I hear you. It’s worst to get sick when your child is sick… Take good care!

I didn’t bake this when I was sick..I baked these a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t been near the kitchen in the past week..I just enjoyed the fact that these cookies were baked and ready to help left the mood

Hi Sawsan, I do hope you feel better very soon. I broke down and finally went to the doctor yesterday for antibiotics (my cold/sinus infection is now in its fourth week!). Unfortunately, I developed a mild but annoying allergic reaction to the antibiotic and had to go back for another one (that’s $56 for 14 pills down the drain!). The positive side is that that one dose seems to have helped so I know the second new one surely will too!
My Mom cooked/baked like your Mom too; it used to drive my Dad crazy because she could never EXACTLY repeat a recipe. I miss her terribly!
The cookies look truly wonderful, cinnamon and dates sure cannot be beat!

I hope you will get better real soon Eva, four weeks is a long time. I hope the second antibiotic makes you better in no time.
Your mum and dad were exactly like mine! dad goes by recipes to the T, mum is the exact opposite

Get well soon. I truly love cookies and so does my family. And with five of us ( and my father, who eats a lot of them around here), always looking for new inspiration. Next week I’m going to try these for sure.

hi sawsan… ur blog is awesome.. lovely pics .. lovely recipes.. and tempting photographs.. i cam ehere thru another blog following a link and was hooked to ur blog… i am going to try ur persian cookies today as that is the first recipe i opened and luckily i have every sngle ingredient( it does not happen that way most of teh time).. this is the third time am trying to post a comment.. something was going wrong…
anyway just want to thank u for the recipes and the wonderful pics which are so tempting taht i am insoired to cook asap… 🙂 am gonna definitley follow this blog..!!!!:)

Hello Renu
Thank you kindly for your sweet words, your kind comment made my day 🙂
Thank you so much for trying to leave me a comment three times, this one got through and I am really glad it did
looking forward to hearing how the cookies turn out

Wow, this recipe had my favorite ingredients dates, almonds and cinnamon together! So, I definitely had to try them. I was a little leery about the amount of cinnamon…. and I love the stuff put in on everything, my toast with peanut butter and even in my coffee. Ultimately i decided on 3 1/2 tbsp…. will likely use more next time …lol. The recipe called for powdered milk and then never mentions it in the directions… so i added to dry ingredients…
These are so amazingly good. Took them to work everyone who ate 1 came back for a 2nd… definitely loved by all. Making them again this week 🙂 Thank you so much!!

Hello Paula,
When I was writing the recipe I knew people would think that there was too much cinnamon but this is the way mum makes these cookies and the way I like them
I am really happy that you enjoyed the cookies and that they were a hit at work.
Thank you for taking the time to let me know how the cookies turned out Paula,I really appreciate it

I love the story behind this wonderful-looking recipe. It has so many of my favorite flavors and I love that it came from your Mum. Sorry you have been sick–and I do hope you and your child are better now. I have just returned from a long road trip with my son, from LA to Mexico, and just cherish the time together. I hope you and your family have loving, peace-filled holidays–and good health!

[…] for me and the kids, there are always new books and DVDs for the kids,a few props for my blog, her signature cookies, maamoul, Zaatar, nabulsi cheese and this apricot jam. My son loves jam but in his book, no […]